THE STORY:

Hi Friends & Family-

Every year for Father's Day I donate to Returning Veteran's Project in honor of my Grandpa and Stepdad. Again, this year, they have the opportunity to win more funding from the Veterans Charity Challenge so I'm fundraising for them again! RVP does really important works providing free mental health services to veterans in Oregon and SW Washington. To highlight the importance of thse services here in Oregon:

In 2014, RVP's network of 173 providers donated 4,387 hours of free treatment services to 360 OIF/OEF veterans and 106 family members - services were worth an inkind dollar value of $412,000!!

Per capita, the Oregon National Guard has now been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan more times than Guards from any other state.

​Right now 1,000 Oregon 41st Brigade troops are returning from a deployment in Afghanistan and 200 from Kuwait. For some, this was their 8th or 9th deployment since these wars begn.

38,000 post 9/11 war veterans now live in Oregon (and families).

Oregon no longer has the highest Guard suicide rate (thanks to orgs like RVP), though it remains high. Between 2011 and 2013, our Guard had the third to first highest suicide rate of all Guards in the nation.

Hope you will consider donating to this great cause!

Amber

Returning Veterans Project wrote -

Returning Veterans Project (RVP) is a ten year old nonprofit dedicated to helping our newest generation of war zone veterans return all the way home to their families, friends and communities.

We believe that it’s the community’s responsibility to help heal both the short and long-term repercussions of war zone service. Inclusion, recognition and honor are at the heart of our free, confidential community-based services. We challenge you to join our fundraising campaign so that we can expand our services and challenge other states to follow our lead!

Mission: RVP provides free confidential counseling and complementary health care services in Oregon and Southwest Washington for Post 9/11 war zone veterans, National Guard, Reserve and Active Duty Service Members, and their families. Our services are free because we recruit, train and support a large health care network of licensed, community-based practitioners who volunteer for us by opening one or more, pro bono slots in their practice for those we serve.

The tax-deductible funds you donate to RVP through Veterans Charity Challenge 3 will support work this year to recruit, train and support 60 more licensed practitioners willing to volunteer their professional time and care to those we serve. And your gift will help us attend multiple Oregon Army National Yellow Ribbon events this spring and summer for the nearly 1,000 soldiers returning home from a deployment in Afghanistan.

Help RVP serve the Second Wave!

We recently began a monthly PTSD Consultation Group for our providers who are treating veterans and families with multiple and complex issues. Some providers are now working with what we are calling, the ‘second wave’: OEF/OIF Veterans home five years or longer, in crisis with many seeking treatment for the first time. In addition to PTSD, Depression and TBI, some are also couch surfing or already homeless, have addiction issues, face child custody battles, criminal charges or incarceration. Some are not eligible to enroll at the VA for services, or are waiting to receive VA services.

All RVP services are confidential. Veterans and family members do not have to have to file a claim to receive our services and paperwork is minimal. Our clients are not charged a single dollar and they and their family members can receive services for as long as they are needed.

Between 2011 and 2013, the Oregon National Guard had the first to third highest rate of suicide of all Guards in the nation. We are working closely with them, the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs and other local Veterans organizations to prevent suicide by educating RVP and other healthcare providers and reducing barriers to care, which includes the military stigma still preventing many veterans from seeking mental health services.

Many of the veterans we’ve served have called RVP 'life changing'. Some have let us know that after our services, they have been able to earn a Bachelors or Masters degree!

Thank you for supporting the Returning Veterans Project and those we serve.

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Mission Statement: RVP provides free confidential counseling and complementary health care services in Oregon and Southwest Washington for Post 9/11 war zone veterans, National Guard, Reserve and Active Duty Service Members, and their families. Our services are free because we recruit, train and support a network of licensed and insured community-based practitioners who volunteer by opening one or more, pro bono slots in their practice for those we serve.

Service Outcomes: Across Oregon and in Clark County Washington in 2014, our pro bono providers delivered 4,387 hours of free confidential mental health and somatic services to: 360 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans and active duty service members: 294 males, 64 females, 2 transgender and 106 family members who included: 97 female spouses/partners, children and parents and 9 male spouses/partners and children.

Need: According to the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, 38,000 OIF/OEF veterans, most with families, live in Oregon, one of just six states without an active duty base.

Per capita, Oregon National Guard troops have now been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan more times than any other, and between 2011 and 2013 had the third to first highest suicide-rate of all Guards in the nation.

February 7, 2013, we were given a, “Volunteer Innovation Award” from Hands on Greater Portland & the Portland Trail Blazers.

View the video they made about RVP at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCgzDC3HFxk&feature=youtu.be

See more at: http://www.crowdrise.com/ReturningVeteransProject-vc#sthash.pT2QWEWn.dpuf

DONATION: $10

DONATION: $10

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